Beyoncé and family have been generous supporters, but want to set the record straight

By Claudia Feldman

Published
1:54 pm CDT, Wednesday, July 9, 2014

The Knowles family has donated to several Houston charities. Beyonce Knowles, left, poses for photos with her mother, Tina Knowles, right, at the University of Houston MD Anderson Library, in 2011. Tina Knowles was honored by UH. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle )

The Knowles family has donated to several Houston charities. Beyonce Knowles, left, poses for photos with her mother, Tina Knowles, right, at the University of Houston MD Anderson Library, in 2011. Tina

The Knowles family has donated to several Houston charities. Beyonce Knowles, left, poses for photos with her mother, Tina Knowles, right, at the University of Houston MD Anderson Library, in 2011. Tina Knowles was honored by UH. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle )

The Knowles family has donated to several Houston charities. Beyonce Knowles, left, poses for photos with her mother, Tina Knowles, right, at the University of Houston MD Anderson Library, in 2011. Tina

Beyoncé and family have been generous supporters, but want to set the record straight

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Recent reports that Beyoncé and her family have given $7 million to build a new housing project for the homeless on the edge of downtown are not quite right, explains the man behind the project and the pastor of St. John's Downtown United Methodist Church, Rudy Rasmus.

"I just talked to Tina yesterday," Rasmus said, referring to Beyonce's mother, Tina Knowles, who attends church as often as her schedule allows. "Tina saw those reports, and she wanted to make sure I didn't think she put that number out there."é

What is true, however, is that the family has given generously to St. John's for the past 10 to 12 years, éRasmus said, and over that period of time, they may well have given a total of $7 million.

In 2002, the family donated $1.5 million to help build the $2 million Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth, which is part of St. John's growing compound. In 2010, the family gave another $1.5 million toward a $7 million housing project for the homeless.

Over the years, Rasmus said, the family has given an estimated $4 million not designated to specific projects.

"Every time I've ever called on them for help, they've always helped," Rasmus said.

He and his wife and co-pastor, Juanita Rasmus, have dedicated their pastoral careers to helping the hungry and the homeless. "We all need families like Beyonce's family," Rasmus said. "We could use a couple more."